Decision Letter
Appeal Number: 6412
Decision Date: April 1, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Teresa Lau
Student Email: 17tl4@queensu.ca
Course: ENIN 340
Term: Summer
Year: 2019
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Sidneyeve Matrix
Course: ENIN 140
Term: Summer
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: POLS 384
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Prof. Christian Breede
Dear Teresa Lau:
I am sorry to have read of the challenges you reported in your letter of appeal and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop ENIN 140 (S 2019) past the academic deadline as well as your request to receive Aegrotat Standing in ENIN 340 (S 2019) and POLS 384 (F 2019) based on those circumstances. After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The Academic Regulations (Appeal of Academic Decisions, IIIb) stress that exceptions to this will only be waived under extenuating circumstances€. Academic Regulation 10.3.1. states that, Aegrotat estimated standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed and passed at least 60 of the work for a course, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control, is unable to complete all the work of the course (see Academic Regulation 6)€. Aegrotat standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control and the learning outcomes of the course have been satisfied. The integrity of Arts and Science transcripts in general would be greatly diminished if the Faculty were to effect changes to students€™ records without clear and compelling documentation indicating that the student€™s performance was significantly compromised by circumstances beyond his or her control.
The documentation you submitted states that your medical condition affected your ability to complete your academic responsibilities during the Summer term and Fall term of 2019 but does not indicate why you could not complete the course requirements at a later date, requesting an Incomplete grade as you did in POLS 359 (F 2019). Completing the course requirements is always the preference so a student can demonstrate that they have met the learning outcomes of a course. The information we received from the instructor of ENIN 340 notes that the work you did submit was of exceptional quality, but since you missed one of the two major assignments, it is not clear that you have met the learning outcomes. The instructor of POLS 384 also noted that your performance was good on the work submitted. I would have preferred that you complete the outstanding second assignment rather than appeal for Aegrotat Standing.
I am sure this is a disappointing decision Teresa but let me remind you that a student can repeat a course and the higher grade earned will be include with the GPA and the lower grade excluded from their GPA. You mention in you appeal letter that you plan to repeat ENIN 140 possibly during the summer term 2020 and I am happy to advise you that it is indeed offered during that upcoming term.
If you would like to complete the outstanding requirements for ENIN 340 and POLS 384, please let me know within 7 days of receiving this letter and I will reach out to the instructors in these two courses to see if they would be willing to accept these outstanding course requirements at this late date.
Going forward, I strongly suggest that you continue to work with your health care team and consider registering with QSAS if your health related challenges have continued. A QSAS Advisor can help support both your health and academics. I encourage you to pause and evaluate your progress in your courses during week 7 of term and if you have fallen behind in your studies due to your health or other extenuating circumstances, you should drop courses by the week 8 drop deadline date.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at www.queensu.ca/artsci/students-at-queens/academic-appeals (click on €œBoard of Studies€). Do not use the on-line application for this process. You may contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities as well as guidance on policy and procedure (www.queensu.ca/ombuds).
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
20075238Lau
Decision Date: April 1, 2020
Associate Dean: Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Student Name: Teresa Lau
Student Email: 17tl4@queensu.ca
Course: ENIN 340
Term: Summer
Year: 2019
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Sidneyeve Matrix
Course: ENIN 140
Term: Summer
Year: 2019
Category: Drop a course after the academic deadline
Course: POLS 384
Term: Fall
Year: 2019
Category: Request aegrotat (AG) standing in a course or courses
Instructor: Prof. Christian Breede
Dear Teresa Lau:
I am sorry to have read of the challenges you reported in your letter of appeal and I have carefully considered your appeal to drop ENIN 140 (S 2019) past the academic deadline as well as your request to receive Aegrotat Standing in ENIN 340 (S 2019) and POLS 384 (F 2019) based on those circumstances. After reviewing your file I have decided to deny your request.
As you know, courses must be dropped on SOLUS within the published deadlines. The Academic Regulations (Appeal of Academic Decisions, IIIb) stress that exceptions to this will only be waived under extenuating circumstances€. Academic Regulation 10.3.1. states that, Aegrotat estimated standing in a course is reserved for situations in which a student, who has completed and passed at least 60 of the work for a course, but because of illness or other extenuating circumstances beyond his or her control, is unable to complete all the work of the course (see Academic Regulation 6)€. Aegrotat standing is only granted in cases where there are well documented and unforeseen extenuating circumstances outside of a student€™s control and the learning outcomes of the course have been satisfied. The integrity of Arts and Science transcripts in general would be greatly diminished if the Faculty were to effect changes to students€™ records without clear and compelling documentation indicating that the student€™s performance was significantly compromised by circumstances beyond his or her control.
The documentation you submitted states that your medical condition affected your ability to complete your academic responsibilities during the Summer term and Fall term of 2019 but does not indicate why you could not complete the course requirements at a later date, requesting an Incomplete grade as you did in POLS 359 (F 2019). Completing the course requirements is always the preference so a student can demonstrate that they have met the learning outcomes of a course. The information we received from the instructor of ENIN 340 notes that the work you did submit was of exceptional quality, but since you missed one of the two major assignments, it is not clear that you have met the learning outcomes. The instructor of POLS 384 also noted that your performance was good on the work submitted. I would have preferred that you complete the outstanding second assignment rather than appeal for Aegrotat Standing.
I am sure this is a disappointing decision Teresa but let me remind you that a student can repeat a course and the higher grade earned will be include with the GPA and the lower grade excluded from their GPA. You mention in you appeal letter that you plan to repeat ENIN 140 possibly during the summer term 2020 and I am happy to advise you that it is indeed offered during that upcoming term.
If you would like to complete the outstanding requirements for ENIN 340 and POLS 384, please let me know within 7 days of receiving this letter and I will reach out to the instructors in these two courses to see if they would be willing to accept these outstanding course requirements at this late date.
Going forward, I strongly suggest that you continue to work with your health care team and consider registering with QSAS if your health related challenges have continued. A QSAS Advisor can help support both your health and academics. I encourage you to pause and evaluate your progress in your courses during week 7 of term and if you have fallen behind in your studies due to your health or other extenuating circumstances, you should drop courses by the week 8 drop deadline date.
If you wish to appeal the Associate Dean€™s decision to the Board of Studies, information and deadlines can be found at www.queensu.ca/artsci/students-at-queens/academic-appeals (click on €œBoard of Studies€). Do not use the on-line application for this process. You may contact the Office of the University Ombudsperson for information about student rights and responsibilities as well as guidance on policy and procedure (www.queensu.ca/ombuds).
Sincerely,
Jenn Stephenson, Ph.D.
Associate Dean (Studies)
20075238Lau
Generated April 1, 2020 at 10:42:30 AM.